A casino is a place where people gamble and play games of chance. While musical shows, lighted fountains, shopping centers and hotels help attract customers, casinos would not exist without games like blackjack, craps, poker, baccarat and slots that generate the billions of dollars in profits that casinos pull in every year.
In modern times, security is a huge concern for the owners of casinos. They employ a physical security force to patrol the premises and a team of specialized surveillance experts who monitor a network of closed circuit television cameras that provide an inside look at all activity within the casino walls. These specialized departments work closely together and can quickly respond to calls for assistance or any suspicious or obviously criminal behavior.
While casino gambling is illegal in many states, casinos are often located on American Indian reservations which are not subject to state antigambling laws. During the 1980s and ’90s, the number of casinos increased dramatically as more states allowed them. Today, there are over 3,000 casinos worldwide.
The average casino patron is a forty-six-year-old female from a household with above-average income. They tend to gamble more than people from lower-income households and are most likely to play table games such as baccarat, chemin de fer, and Blackjack or French card games such as trente et quarante. Casinos often reward their most loyal players by offering them comps such as free food, drinks and hotel rooms or reduced-fare transportation and limo service to and from the casino.